New Life
by Valarie
Summary: When someone has to move away from the life they know and love to go to Kingsport what will happen? Will that person still be popular or be a loser......
1. Default Chapter

A/N-This story is written by Val and Luke (green*star). Portions of the story between *'s are instant message conversations.  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own anything In A Heartbeat related. Please...don't sue. ;-)  
  
New Life  
  
"Brooke! It's my turn! Stop hogging the computer!" Val was annoyed. Brooke had been on the computer for 3 hours, and it was Val's turn to   
get on. Val could have the computer from 7:00-10:00.  
  
"Just a second..." Brooke's words vanished.  
  
"It's already 7:15! Get off!"  
  
"Okay!" Brooke always got very defensive when it came to her time to talk online.  
  
Brooke pushed the chair away and ran out of the room.  
  
'What's her problem,' Val thought to herself.  
  
Val brought back the computer chair, and noticed Brooke didn't close out of her instant message window. When Val was moving to close it out,   
her eyes caught the message.  
  
*****  
Brian_007: Brooke...I think we need to end our relationship...I just don't feel any love anymore.  
  
BrookeBaby: Fine...if that's what you want, then that's fine with me!  
  
Brian_007: Brooke! Listen!  
  
BrookeBaby logged off  
*****  
  
"Wow. I didn't even know she had a boyfriend." Val mumbled to her self.  
  
Val logged on, and a message popped up that said:  
  
SuperTyler has sent you a message. Do you want to Accept?  
YES NO  
  
Val thought that it was another person to talk to, so she accepted.  
  
*****  
SuperTyler: Hey, I think I might know you...Is your last name Largin?  
  
ValL: No...why?  
  
SuperTyler: OK sorry...there is a Val Largin that goes to my school and she just moved.  
  
ValL: Oh.  
  
SuperTyler: Well, have a nice life.  
  
ValL: Wait, talk to me anyways. I'm bored :-)  
  
SuperTyler: Ok...where do you live?  
  
ValL: I live in New Jersey. You?  
  
SuperTyler: Virginia.  
  
ValL: Cool.  
  
SuperTyler: How old are you? I'm 16  
  
ValL: Cool so am I.  
  
So the conversation continued, and they made small talk. Val started to feel close to him. Soon, he had to log off, saying something about   
work. So she decided to message her best friend, Jill.  
  
*****  
ValL: Hey Jill!  
  
JillGrrl: Oh, it's you. I have to go.  
  
ValL: What?  
  
JillGrrl logged off  
*****  
  
That didn't make any sense. Val and Jill had been best friends since 2nd grade. Val tried to shrug it off, but she knew something was not right.  
  
Val decided to go into a chat room to pass the time. After awhile she noticed GothSloth signed in the chat room and started saying mean things   
about cheerleaders, and dissing all kinds of people. So she decided to IM her to see what her problem was.  
  
*****  
ValL: Hey I'm a cheerleader. What is your problem. You don't know people and you dis them.  
  
GothSloth: Ow look I care. Cheerleaders are losers, who have no life. Get over it.  
  
ValL: Yeah well back off.   
  
GothSloth: Oh a girl with guts. What is your A/S/L?  
  
ValL: Why should I tell you. Than you can make fun of that too?  
  
GothSloth: No I was just asking. Hoping you would accept my apolize and maybe become friends. Though from what I see we are very different.   
Your a cheerleader and I'm a goth. Though oppites may make the best of friends.  
  
ValL: OK. Fine. I'm F/16/New Jersey. And you?  
  
GothSloth: Cool. I'm F/16/VA.  
  
ValL: What part of VA.   
  
GothSloth: Kingsport. Why?  
  
ValL: Just asking.  
  
GothSloth: Well, I guess I better go. Have fun in your perfect cheerleader world.  
  
ValL: Um, Okay.  
  
GothSloth: Maybe I'll e-mail you sometime. If you're lucky.  
  
ValL: That would be cool.  
  
GothSloth: Bye.  
  
GothSloth logged off  
*****  
Val looked at the computer's clock. It stated it was 10:15.  
  
"Oh my gosh! I was supposed to be off 15 minutes ago!" Val thought maybe her parents would be angry, but they had already gone to bed. Val   
logged herself off and got into her pajamas.  
  
As she crawled into bed, the day's events ran through her head. 'I wonder who this Tyler guy is? And 'GothSloth'?' she thought to herself. Just   
when she almost fell asleep, she remembered about the big World Civilization test the next day. She shot up in bed.  
  
"Oh, no!!" Val got up and studied until she almost fell asleep. She looked at her alarm clock and noted that it was 12:30. She put her books up   
and crawled in bed, falling asleep before her head hit the pillow.  
  
The sound of the alarm clock was the next sound that Val heard. After hitting the snooze button about 5 times, she supposed it would be a   
good time to wake up. She threw some clothes on and walked to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple, kissed her mom goodbye, and started to   
walk out the door. Then, she realized something wasn't right. Her mom didn't say anything. She turned around and saw that Mrs. Lanier's facial   
expression was not quite normal.  
  
"Mom," Val started, "is something wrong?"  
  
"Yes Val," her mom answered, "Yes."  
  
"What is it?" Val wanted to know what was going on.  
  
"We are," her mom hesitated to finish. "We are going to have to move."  
  
"No, mom, don't say that!"  
  
Mrs. Lanier nodded her head. "Your dad has been transferred."  
  
"To where?" Val asked.  
  
"Virginia," her mom replied.  
  
They talked for a few minutes about how much they would miss the house they were living in. Val noticed that if she didn't leave now, she   
would be late for school.  
  
"Well, mom, I better get going."  
  
"I love you honey," Mrs. Lanier said as she brushed her hand across Val's cheak.  
  
"I love you too, mom."  
  
Val left the house feeling sick to her stomach. She didn't want to move. As she walked to school, she thought about how long they have lived in  
their small New Jersey town, her whole life. She liked it there. Everything they needed was only about 10 minutes away, if not in the town. She   
sighed and kept moving along.  
  
When she reached her locker she noticed her best friend, Jill, was already there, "Hey Jill. Sorry I was late to meet you."  
  
"Oh it's you. I got to go. Bye."  
  
"NO. Jill wait." She grabbed her arm and pulled her back to her, "What is up with you?"  
  
"Do you really want to know?"  
  
"Your my best friend, why wouldn't I?"  
  
"I-I-sa-saw you and my boyfriend, really close together the other day. When I told my sister she said that you wouldn't do that to me. We have   
been best friends, that I need to hear what you have to say. So go ahead and explain your self."  
  
"Hun. I would never steal your boyfriend on you." Just then the bell rang, signaling to get to class. The two gathered up there books and   
started to walk to there class that they had together, "If you really want to know what we were talking about i'll tell you."  
  
"Ya I do want to know." Jill said kind of snotty.  
  
"All he did was ask me what you would like for your birthday. What I told him, I wont tell you though."  
  
"I'm sorry I thought you would stell him from me." Jill said just as they reached the class room, just as the bell rang. They sat down in there   
seats.   
  
After class, Jill had noticed Val wasn't paying much attenion. And she was worried about her. They got up and headed for there lockers, "Hey   
Val. What is wrong?"  
  
A/N: So what do you think? Do you like it? Well it is fun writtin this. Look out for another story but me and 2 friends. Don't want to give it away  
and plz don't forget to reveiw. Thanks. 


	2. The News

A/N: Here is another chapter. Please tell me what you think. Want more? Review!!  
  
Disclam: NOTHING!! :(  
  
New Life Chapter Two: The News  
  
  
Val turned around with a tear in her eye.  
  
"I'm moving," she said as the tear slowly moved down her cheak.  
  
"When?" Jill asked sympathetically.  
  
"I'm not sure," Val answered and she began to cry.  
  
Jill brought Val into her arms and found herself speechless.  
  
Finally Jill said, "Why don't you come over to my house after school?"  
  
"I'd love to," replied Val and she wiped the tears from her eye as she attempted to smile.  
  
"We only have one more class, so hang in there," Jill said as she patted Val's back.  
  
"I'll try," Val said wearily.  
  
The school bell rang and they headed their separate ways. Jill moved to her geometry class and Val went to her world civilization class. She felt slightlt confident of her test because she managed to squeeze in a little bit of study time late the last night.  
  
When she walked into the door and found her seat the bell rang. The teacher, Mr. Watts, went to the door and closed it.  
  
"Alright," Mr. Watts began. "I hope you all remembered to study for your big test."  
  
He made his way back to his desk and picked up a huge stack of stapled packets and disseminated the papers. When Val recieved hers, she began to filp through the six page exam. 'Six pages?!' she thought to herself.  
  
She looked at the title. "The Enlightenment and the French Revolution." This had been her favorite subject in the class so far. She felt even more confident.  
  
The first question asked, "Which Enlightenment writer wrote 'The Leviathan'?" She immediately knew the answer and bubbled in "Thomas Hobbes" on the answer sheet. It was an all-multiple choice test, so she was done in only a few minutes. She walked up to Mr. Watts' desk and set the exam face-down in the middle of the desk. She was the first one done. Val sat back in her desk while the teacher was grading her test.   
  
"Val Lanier, please come here," Mr. Watts said in a gruff tone, but he always had this tone, so it didn't bother her.  
  
Mr. Watts handed back her exam, smiled, and said, "Good job."  
  
"Thank you." She looked down at her test and saw that it said "100 A+". 'Not bad for not studying much,' she thought.  
  
She had to give him back the test because not everyone was finished. Val smiled and returned to her desk. The rest of the class period, Val sat in a daze.  
  
As soon as the bell rang Val ran out of the classroom and headed for her locker, which was next to Jill's. Jill was already there, "Hey Val..how did class go?"  
  
"I got an 100 on the test." Val tried to smile, but deep down she was sad, she didn't want to move.  
  
"That's great. You ready to go to my house? You can call your mom from there.."  
  
"Sure let's go." Val and Jill grabed there books that they would need and headed the six blocks to her house. Val's house was right next door. But she wanted to just call her mom. She couldn't quite face her right than.  
  
Val and Jill had spent hours remembering all the good times they had shared and how much they would miss eachother, "Val. Promise me you'll still visit me, and write me and stay in contact." Jill told her almost crying.  
  
"I promise." Val said as she gave her a hug, "There is nothing in this world that would stop me from atleast written to you."  
  
But like all good times, it came to an end and Val had to head home for supper and do her homework. Just as Val walked in her house, everyone was at the table waiting for her. She sat down in her spot, without a word.  
  
Dinner pretty much went in silence, except for someone asking to pass the salt, or more food. But finally Joanna spoke up, "Girls, we need to talk."  
  
Brooke looked over at her mom, to see what she had to say. She didn't know about this whole deal yet.  
  
"Ok..well. Val already knows this. And so does your father, but. Well we have to move."   
  
"WHAT!!! We can't move. This is our home." Brooke screamed at her mom.  
  
"Brooke! Your father got a transfer, to Kingsport. We have to move there."  
  
"Fine do whatever you want. I don't care." Brooke got up and ran to her room. Everyone jumped when she slamed the door. But soon she came back out, "Oh and Val, you can have my time on the computer, I'm goin to Reagan's. I'll be back later."  
  
"Brooke come on we have to talk about this." Joanna started. But Brooke was out of the door before she could finish.  
  
After Val and her parents finished dinner, her parents told her they were going to go out for awhile and asked if she could do the dishes and clean up.  
  
"Sure." Val watched them leave, than she started on the dishes.   
  
When she was done with the dishes and after she cleaned up she decided to sign on line. As soon as she signed on she got a message.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
SuperTyler: Hey Val! How is it going?  
  
ValL: Hey Tyler. Not so good right now. How about with you?  
  
SuperTyler: I'm ok. Just got off work, we had a bad call today. Why what's wrong?  
  
ValL: My mom told me this morning that we have to move. And than she just told my sister and me again tonight at supper. My sister is really really mad and she stormed off and went to her friends and my parents went out like nothing is going on. And I don't want to move either. All my friends are here and my life.  
  
SuperTyler: Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I know how it fells to have to move away, I had to move when I was younger when my dad left. Where are you moving to?  
  
ValL: Sorry to hear that about your parents. I don't remeber where to. My mom told me but I don't know. Sorry.  
  
SuperTyler: It's ok. So how was school for you today?  
  
ValL: Well I had a test...I aced it. I got 100% and besides that. It wasn't as much fun. I told my best friend that I have to move and she is not happy either. How was your day?  
  
SuperTyler: Congrats on your test. I think you and your friend will still be able to be friends. Though you wont be able to see each other day. That's what the internet if for and writting letters. And not so good. On one of my calls we had 3 people die in a car crash.  
  
ValL: Where do you work?  
  
SuperTyler: Oh. Sorry. I thought I told you. I work as a EMT.  
  
ValL: Oh is that like where teens vonentier to help out and save lifes?  
  
SuperTyler: Ya it is.   
  
ValL: Oh kewl. Well i'm sorry to cut this short but I have some homework I need to do. When I get done i'll get back on and we can chat more, that is if your still on.  
  
SuperTyler: Ok laterz. Bye Val.  
  
ValL: Bye Tyler.  
  
ValL Logged Off.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
When Val got off, she tried to work on her homework, but it was unproductive. She got it done, but she didn't feel it was to her best ability, but at that point she could have cared less. After putting her books away, she went downstairs to grab an orange soda, her favorite drink. Mrs. Lanier was still up, but Val found her with her head down on the kitchen table, letting soft sobs.  
  
"What's the matter mom?" Val asked as she put her arms around her mother.  
  
"Oh, it's Brooke. She is taking it so hard," she said through tears.  
  
"I can understand," Val said softly. "By the way, where are we moving to?"  
  
"Umm...Kingsport, Virginia."  
  
"Ok, thanks," Val said.  
  
"You're welcome honey," her mother replied.  
  
After some small-talk, Val went back up to the computer room. She logged back on to the internet, but no one on her buddy list was online. She decided to go read and go straight to bed. She walked into her room, put her pajamas on, and climbed in bed. She picked up "The Grapes of Wrath" and read for about an hour before turning the lights off.  
  
The next morning, she woke up to the sounds of her alarm clock. It was somewhat between a loud BEEP and a WAAAH! She slammed the 'off' button and got ready for school. She found that Brooke was back home, but she looked very sad. Val decided to let her be and just ignore her.  
  
She walked the whole way to the sounds of birds singing. Val kept looking around, thinking off all that she would miss about her town. She sighed, and kept walking.  
  
As soon as she walked in the door, Jill found her right away.  
  
"Val you WON'T guess what!"  
  
"What?" Val asked, not knowing what was going on.  
  
"I was talking to my mum and dad last night and I told them that you have to move. So they thought we should have one last edvient before you move, to member us by and stuff. Like sience you like my family so much...there's my dad who is, wired and got us to like country music, and my mum, who is....well...and there are my 3 brothers, who are the stupidest people but funny. excpet the middle brother. He is the coolest...so hey what do you say? They were thinking about going on another camping trip, and the more the better."  
  
"Wow Jill thanks. That's great. I'll talk to my mum about it and let you know." Val was smiling for the first time in days. She was going to, well hopefully, be able to spend one last trip with her best friend and her family which she love the most. Well she loved her own family yeah. But Jill's were more...entertaing.  
  
  
The school day went by slowly, as it always does when there is something you want to do or ask. So the minute the school bell rang to let out, Val ran home.   
  
"Mom, can I ask you something?" Val said excitedly.  
  
"Well, I don't see..." Mrs. Lanier started.  
  
"Can I go on a camping trip with the Russ family?" Val interrupted.  
  
"I don't know Val...you know how I feel about the outdoors..."  
  
"MOM! Nothing will happen!" Val said, raising her voice a little.  
  
"I'll think about it," her mother replied.  
  
"Mum. I have been camping with them before. Nothing will happen, just like nothing happened before."  
  
"Val. I said I would think about it." Her mother replied, getting angry.  
  
"Fine." Val walked out of the room and to her room to start her homework.  
  
A few mintiues later Brooke walked in her room, "What are you doing in MY room." Val asked her sister.  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you for a few mintiues about this whole thing. But fine i'll just leave."  
  
"No. I'm sorry Brooke, come in and make your self like ur in your room."  
  
"Ok..." Brooke was now reluctant, but she was feeling okay with it.  
  
"What's on your mind?" Val asked her sister.  
  
"Well, it's just going to be so hard to say goodbye to this house, you know? We've lived here ever since I can remember!" Brooke's eyes were filling up with tears.  
  
"I know what you mean, but maybe the Lord has something better in store for us where we move. You know, it hasn't been all sunshine and roses here," Val said, trying to make Brooke feel better.  
  
"Yeah," Brooke suddenly turned white. Memories of their past started running through her mind. The day Brooke walked in on her dad having an affair with the next-door neighboor. She tried to think of something else.  
  
Brooke was the only one who knew about his affair. And Val could tell sumthing was on her mind, "Hey Brooke, what is it?"  
  
"Just remember some memorys of this house. All the bad..and the good."  
  
"Like what bad ones. I don't member any bad ones. Do you know sumthing I don't know, Brooke?"  
  
"Well..." Brooke started. Her dad didn't know she caught him, and he was the only one who knew about it.   
  
"Just that..."  
  
"Brooke, what is it?" Val was become worried.  
  
Brooke shifted on the bed. "Remember a few years ago, when dad was working at home? He had used our dining room as an office?"  
  
"Yeah, I remember," Val said. "What about it?"  
  
"Well," Brooke hadn't said anything about it yet, so she thought why start now? "I, um, accidently threw away a stack of his papers and he got really mad."   
  
"That's not that bad!" Val replied.  
  
"I guess not," Brooke looked away and sighed.  
  
"Well, Brooke, if that's all you wanted, I better get to bed. It's getting late...you should, too," Val said.   
  
"Alright," Brooke started, "goodnight."  
  
"Night sis'."  
  
Brooke went into her room, changed into her pajamas, and crawled in bed. It took her three hours to get to sleep.   
  
The next morning, Val and Brooke both woke up early. They both went down to the kitchen to see there parents already awake and sience they were up early they decided to eat breakfest with them.  
  
They all sat down while Joanna made pancakes. She set them on the table once they were all made, and sat down her self, "Ok girls. I really think we should talk about this."  
  
"What is there to talk about?" Brooke started, "How much we are goin to miss it here, how much me and Val will miss our friends."  
  
"Honey..." Joanna started, but got cut off by Val.  
  
"Let me take care of this one mom," She looked up at her mom and she gave a nod so she contiued, "Brooke, Let's talk on the way to school about this ok?"   
  
"Fine." Brooke finished eating and got up to change.  
  
"Are you sure about this Val?" Her dad asked.  
  
"Yeah. I have to go get ready so we can talk before school starts, and so we wont be late." Val got up and went to her room to change. Once she was done, she got her bookbag and made sure she had everything she needed.  
  
Val meet Brooke by the door and they said goodbye to here parents and headed out the door.  
  
They didn't go to the same school, but they weren't that far appart from eachother.  
  
"Ok, Brooke listen, please."  
  
"O.K." Brooke looked at her sister as they walked down the street.  
  
"Alright. You are not the only one who will have to move away from friends. We can still write them, talk to them on the phone sometimes, and e-mail them and chat with them on the computer. Heck, I'm sure we can come and visit, once in a while to. But no one can help it that dad got transfered. It could be fun. We can start a whole new life, a chance to start all over, if you will. Make new friends, and start over at a school."  
  
"I know, Val. But, it will just be so hard to say goodbye to everone."  
  
"I know Brooke. But it might be fun. I mean, one of my buddys, is an EMT. Our state don't have that, and it might be fun. You could probably do something there to, like office stuff. You are very oranized, and that kind of stuff is what you are good at. Take a chance, life is not always easy."  
  
"I know that. I guess you're right. It might be fun. But you promise we can still come and visit?"  
  
"Well, I promise if dad and mom will let us, I'll drive us here sometime, if they wont. We can visit your friends, and my friends. But please. Brooke, make the best out of this. We don't need you to be mad about this and not talking to any of us. We all have to deal with this, not just you. Ok?"  
  
"Ok. I'm sorry I've been such a jerk about this, but it's just so hard to leave home."  
  
They walked up to Brooke's school, "I know. We can talk more about it tonight, but we have to go to school. I'm goin to be late as it is. I'll see you later Brooke, I love you." Val gave her sister a hug.  
  
Brooke's friends spotted her and started to come over to her, "I love you to, Val. Bye."  
  
Brooke ran off with her friends into the school as Val made the walk to her school. Only 2 blocks away from Brooke's.   
  
As soon as Val walked into school the bell rang. 'shoot, I'm late.' Val thought to her self and ran to her locker to put away books and get ones she would need, til she could go back to her locker again. 


End file.
